Painted voices
by ShadowDianne
Summary: AU. Prompt asked by taibhse-an-laoch on tumblr. Darkness has always been a part of Regina, not because of actions but because her eyes had long ago refused to see. However, it's well known that love is blind...
1. Chapter 1

**A/N So, this idea (brought you by** **taibhse-an-laoch on tumblr** **) is going to take a while. Longer than my usual while of two, three weeks tops. This is going to be updated whenever I've the time to write and edit it but I wanted to at least give the first chapter since Sean had been very patience with me already and I was feeling bad because of the wait xD The idea is perfect and I've passed the last weeks working on it and trying to make it as good and reliable as possible since I want to be as realistic as possible.**

 **I've read as much as I've been able to and talked with a few people I know near me that are blind (one blind at birth the other one because "stuff happens" as they called it) and whereas I know every person is different and so their experiences in the matter will be different since I'm not blind and I'm merely using other people experiences to be as fair as possible with Regina's character I would love to have a little bit of feedback as the story progresses.**

 **And that's it. I'm actually nervous with this one so please. I know the prologue is barely a mere introduction but if as the story progress if anyone feels that there are things that because of their own experiences or people they know I should have written it differently tell me! (I could have done something on purpose basing on my friends experiences of course but, as I said above I want to be as realistic as possible and not offend anyone in the process.)**

 **Unknown tongue**

Emma closed her eyes and kicked her car, fury and embarrassment still flooding her system.

She exhaled as she opened her eyes, she knew she was still visible from the interior of the house in anyone happened to look outside but she was too shaken up to even think to move her car away and do as she had been politely asked to do. Not that she wanted to stay of course.

Folding her arms and putting her hands below her armpits she sighed, shaking her head and trying to recover her usual coolness. Turning to look at the big white mansion in front of her she noticed the very well taken garden and the obviously loved flowers that grew just above the fence that lead to the main door of the house.

"This was just another case Swan" She thought, trying to delude herself. She tilted her head back and rest it in the roof of the bug, her eyes closing as she started to do one of the many breathing tricks she knew by now.

Nothing, useless.

Opening her eyes once again she caught a slight movement on the top window from the left, as if someone had just closed the blinders but had been staring at her until now.

"The kid" She guessed, unfolding her arms and biting one of her thumbnails, a bad habit she tried hard to break.

She felt completely mortified and a part of her just wanted to return and apologize, even if she really didn't know what she would say if she ever had the chance.

"Not that you are ever going to have one" She reasoned "Since you are going to turn to your little flat and just try to find another case"

She should have trusted her instincts; she thought as she extracted the keys of the car from her back pocket and turned, opening it with a few more kicks and pushes to the old metal door.

The kid had been nothing more trouble since he had stepped inside the little apartment of hers. She had felt it the first time she had known that he was lying and even after the boy had told her the entire truth, or at least what he thought was the truth, Emma had felt that the boy wasn't only a troublemaker but one that was going to make her life a complicated and very messed up trouble.

At the end it had been her fault but she tried not to dwell on that fact.

Starting the engine and with a bittersweet flavor still teasing her taste buds she drove away the white mansion, a frown on her face and chastising her decision of bringing the boy back herself. Not that the kid had let her many options.

She sighed as she turned towards the main road from where she had driven earlier. She looked at the broken tower clock and scoffed, remembering the crazy theories that the kid had shared with her during the ride and even after. She really needed to admit that he had a lot of imagination, whatever that was right or wrong Emma admired him for that. She had been too stuck on the real world since the beginning that even imagination had been hard for her when she had desperately craved for it. A world where adults were banned a world where she could be free even if it was only for a few minutes. That would have been paradise if she would have been able to imagine it.

Shaking her head and trying to not think about those things she headed up for the main road. Soon enough she would be back to Boston, in her bed and without being lost in a city that appeared to be frozen in time.

Gripping the steering wheel and trying not to let the blush she had been fighting since she had exited that woman's house appear she bit her bottom lip, knowing that she had let Henry enter and actually talk to her after the first lie because it was her birthday, once she would never knew if it was her actual one or just one that it was made up for someone since they couldn't exactly tell how old she had been when she had been found on a road. Maybe less than a day, maybe more than two days, no one had told her so she kept they day she had learnt to consider her birthday. It was easier this way.

Thinking about the blue candle and the little treat she had let herself taste earlier, before the kid appeared in front of her house that's it, she tried not to shed a tear. She was emotional, like every year when this day arrived. Emotional and tired and maybe that was the reason behind what had happened inside the big white house. Maybe tomorrow or in a few days she could search for the boy's address and call, just to talk a little with the boy's mother and apologize for her rudeness.

Everything had started bad, she reasoned, thinking about how the boy had refused at first to tell her where he exactly lived and how he had reacted to the poor balding man, she thought he had said that his name was Archie but now she wasn't too sure. Either way Henry had reacted poorly when she had asked about the man, and for a second she had felt sorry for him.

It was more prejudice than anything and she knew it; during her childhood she had known a large group of therapists, psychologists, pedagogues and many other men and women alike that thought that having a PhD equated be able to understand her. She knew they had tried to help her but she had passed enough time being tossed from one family to other to add the constant stream of new faces, new people that tried to make her more talkative, more social, more easy to be adopted. She had hated every minute of it and for a second she had sided with the boy, only for a second but it had been enough to look warily to the woman that, perfectly dressed in a very fitting pearl gray dress, had opened the door when the boy had rang the doorbell from the fence and had walked inside the house, screaming and not looking at her for a second.

Emma licked her lips, the Storybrooke signal visible now through the darkness that now surrounded her. The woods were certainly thick around the city and that helped with the eerie atmosphere that she had been picking up the second she had crossed the city line with the boy less than an hour ago.

Back to the woman dressed in pearl grey Emma's partiality towards the woman had only grew when the brunette hadn't even looked at her. Emma couldn't have known, she couldn't but now, driving away as fast as she could, she wanted to smack her forehead against the steering wheel.

The brunette's movements where somewhat stilled, as if she didn't feel comfortable. To be fair that was normal since her son had just come back home after going to Boston completely alone and with only a book as a trip companion so Emma hadn't noticed that when she had first talked.

Her voice had made the woman look at her and due to the darkness surrounding the house, barely illuminated by a few streetlights and the warm glow that came from inside the house Emma had merely frowned and just greeted the woman with a whispered hi.

"You are Henry's birthmother?" The brunette, the gorgeous brunette a part of her had added, replied, approaching her with her hands in front of her, almost as if they were touching the air between Emma and herself.

"Hi" The blonde repeated, stronger this time.

It had been there when she had seen the way the brunette's eyes seemed to be slightly off, as if they looked at somewhere next but not quite where Emma was standing. It was almost imperceptible but Emma, being used to look at people's eyes to know if they were about to lie or not, noticed.

She had realized it then and she now, as the city line came closer and closer to her, wanted to scream at herself. It was one of those things that no one thought about until they were faced with it, she knew she should have seen it and instead…

She had completely made an ass of herself.

Emma turned the heating on, feeling how the chill from outside started to seep inside her old car through the poorly closed windows. When her eyes returned to the main road with the fresh memories still making herself want to make a hole and die a little the wolf appeared.

And then, black


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N Disclaimer: I don't own them.**  
 **Sorry for the wait, I would have wanted to post this a few days before but life kept stealing me the opportunity to do so… here we are.**  
 **As I said on the first chapter I'm not sure when I'm going to be able to post constantly but I will finish the story no matter what, promise.**  
 **And with that on with the chapter! I want to comment that I've read and asked as much people as possible before starting writing and during the draft process but if you find something you are not sure about or find badly explained in regards of Regina's condition please feel free to tell me!**

(2)

In the middle of the forest a little light floated between the trees, guiding her, and even if she didn't want to follow the path the fire in front of her opened her feet moved, walking behind it, not bothering to even look back.

The air was cold around her, wind blowing between the tall trees, a howling sound circling her, growing on intensity even after the wind stopped, an eerie silence suddenly following the shouts from the wind, making her want to swallow, to curl up and close her eyes. She didn't do that though, her eyes completely focused on the glowing eyes of the creature the little light was showing her, the trees' leaves cracking under the weight of the animal as it snarled, the glowing eyes turning into slits, curiosity and ferocity touching her mind, a part of her linking itself with the creature, her own eyes narrowing under the questioning gaze of the wolf.

Because it was a wolf, a wolf with intelligent eyes staring at her, his jaws slightly open, his fangs glowing under the magical light that turned weaker as she finally took a step towards him, leaving the comfort of the trees and penetrating the clearing from where the animal was looking at her.

His fur was mostly grey and white, his eyes gold, intelligent, as if he knew something she wasn't able to know yet. Her heartbeat quickened as the wolf took also a step closer, one of his paws a few inches away from her now, his tail moving softly to a breeze she wasn't able to feel from where she was.

There were many things she wanted to say, even if the rational part of her knew that the wolf wasn't able to speak. Biting her lip she looked down, frowning when she saw her hands dirty with something dark, the prints of digits smeared all across her wrists.

"Blood?" It didn't look like it was blood but the substance was there, marking her.

The wolf howled.

* * *

Emma opened her eyes, her pupils adjusting slowly to the bright light that filled the little room she was in. Frowning, she stared at the concrete ceiling feeling under her digits the rough fabric of a blanket that had probably being her mattress until now. She would be able to recognize a cell everywhere and so she felt the muscles on her back and neck stiffen, the most primitive side of her mind awakening with a startle. Closing her eyes momentarily as she felt a wave of nausea taking over her due to the quickness of her movements she swallowed thickly, unsure of where she was. Touching her temple with her hand she gasped, feeling her head throbbing under her finger tips, her eyes protesting when she opened them again, trying to see something else than just the concrete. The soft light that bathed the place told her that it was already morning but she couldn't remember what morning or what she was doing there.

Her mouth didn't taste sour nor she could remember drinking anything and as she tilted her head, trying to ease up the tension she felt on her muscles, she tried to remember where she had been a few hours ago.

"Perhaps last night's job?" She thought, shaking her head the second the thought entered on her mind as she realized that that it couldn't be that since she remembered taking care of the stupid man and turning back home, the memory of knowing that it was her birthday bittersweet on her mouth as she had driven to the other side of Boston. She had finished with the job and then…

"You are awake"

Turning at her right she blinked, first seeing only the bars that were in front of her and then the woman who was carefully seated on one of the chairs that were at the other side, her blank expression did nothing to hide the purse on her lips and the way she seemed extremely angered. She was dressed with the same exquisite taste that Emma could now remember from last night, her eyes now covered with dark sunglasses. Something that made Emma bit her inner cheek, memories of what had happened a few hours before returning, making her close her eyes out of embarrassment for a second.

The brunette woman was as gorgeous as she had first saw but now, with the light of the day aiding her, she could see what had been the odd feeling she had felt the first time both the other woman and her had crossed their eyes. Sighing, she seated, her feet moving inside her boots as she tried to stand up, her neck still screaming in pain as she did so.

"How…" She started only to bit the tip of her tongue, embarrassed to being even asking the question.

"You gasped" The other woman answered simply, swiftly standing up and taking one single step on Emma's direction. Her right hand touched the bars, grasping one firmly not bothering to even hide the little smirk on her features, as if she could sense Emma's discomfort. "Probably because of the pain your upper body must be in right now"

The blonde frowned at that; it was true that almost every inch of her body seemed to be in pain but how the woman in front of her…

"You crashed" A male voice interrupted her musing, a handsome looking man entering in the room with a soft smile on his lips and wearing a badge that informed Emma of the man's position as the sheriff of the little town. "Near the town line, your car is not seriously damaged but our local doctor told us that you could probably feel a little sore this morning"

"And why I'm here?" The blonde asked to the man, smiling encouragingly at him as Regina's pleased smile turned into a scoff, apparently bothered of the disposition of the man and his eagerness to explain Emma's situation to the blonde.

The tall man shrugged "We didn't know what to do with you and it was easier for us to keep you here until you were able to explain yourself what had happened"

Emma hummed at that, tilting her head when pieces of her dream returned; the wolf looking at her, trying to tell her something she couldn't understand.

"There was a wolf" She finally answered "Near the border"

Regina scoffed again, a smug smile on her lips as she spoke once again, the coldness on her voice creating chills on Emma's spine. "There aren't any wolves here Miss Swan"

Emma briefly wondered how the woman was able to know what her name was but decided to answer first to her statement.

"I saw one" She insisted, biting her lips as the smugness present on the woman in front of her was replaced with fury the double meaning of her wording hitting her. "I mean" She added quickly "There was one there, in the middle of the road"

"That's impossible" The brunette answered icily before turning, clutching the cane she had been holding until now on her right hand "Graham, free her, it's obvious that whatever happened Ms. Swan is incapacitated to explain it"

The blonde opened her mouth, ready to explain herself how wrong the other woman was and how she was in fact telling the truth but Graham shook his head vehemently in front of her before nodding and turning towards the brunette whose high heels clicked against the floor of the place. "Ok madame mayor"

"She is the mayor?" She whispered as Graham turned and finally let her free, a wave of relief washing over her- old habits seemed to not die even after all those years-

"And an incredible one" The man said, a vacant look on his eyes for a second before he walked over his desk and offered her the few things she had been having on her pockets last night. "She…. Is also a little bit complicated" He finally offered with a shrug. "But she was the one who called Walsh once I alerted her when I saw your car at one side of the road"

"Walsh?" Emma asked as she touched the sore spot on her neck, it was probably bruised and she made a face at that.

"Our doctor" Graham provided with a boyish grin. "He was the one who told us that you simple seemed out and since you didn't seem to be in danger we finally decided to keep you here just in case"

"I see…" Emma muttered, looking at the door Regina had crossed. Graham followed her gaze and nodded.

"Since you are going to stay here for a few days try to talk with her, it's for the best to not have her pissed at you, believe me"

Emma was already turning when what the man had said hit her "A few days?"

"Your car needs to be repaired, I've just talked with our mechanic and it seems is going to take a few days to be sure that everything works properly"

The blonde cursed between her lips. Being away from her apartment meant that she couldn't take any more jobs until she was able to drive back what meant that she was going to have a problem when she finally reached Boston. Being a freelance definitely sucked.

Sighing she nodded and thanked Graham before exiting the place, doubting for a second which way of the corridor she needed to take. Finally deciding to turn left she found herself blinking at the morning sun of Storybrooke and the almost desert road that was in front of her. She vaguely remembered the main road for where she had driven the night before and she could distinguish the town's tower clock that the kid had pointed out when they had entered on the city but that was it. Swallowing and trying to orient herself she looked at both sides, sighing in relief when she saw the retreating back of a particular brunette walking rather quickly on the deserted street.

"Wait!" She screamed, starting to run in her direction.

The brunette head moved at one side, obviously having heard her, but didn't stop, not even when Emma finally reached her side, panting slightly. She definitely needed to do something with her back and neck.

"I want to apologize" She said, walking alongside Regina who kept silent "For yesterday and what I said today… I didn't want to sound like…"

"You were mocking me?" The brunette snarled, finally stopping and turning towards Emma. Her eyes were still covered with the dark glasses but Emma felt the anger seeping through them, a blush starting to blossom on her cheeks.

"I didn't know how to react" She finally said, and it was true, she hadn't realized what she was seeing until it was already too late. "And I didn't want to say anything that…"

"I think we both have established that you are unable to think properly" The woman replied haughtily "So if you don't have anything else to say I would want you to move"

Emma's embarrassment disappeared, anger starting to rise. "Hey" She started being only interrupted by Regina.

"Besides, I have had enough with Henry running away, I think we both can see that the idea of him traveling all alone was certainly not one of the best things he could have done."

"It wasn't my fault that he decided to take a bus" Emma defended herself, crossing her arms and standing right in front of the older woman. Regina pursed her lips, her hands clenched slightly, fury seeming to be the thing that kept her standing, looking completely imposing.

And strangely beautiful but Emma wasn't going to go there.

"If you are implying that it was mine…" She started, but Emma had had enough and so she interrupted her this time.

"I didn't say that, you are the one who actually mentioned the possibility"

The brunette stilled, rage disappearing for a second from her features as her free hand rose and played with the bridge of her nose, the glasses she wore riding up a little, showing the indentations they left at each side of the bridge. When Regina spoke again her voice didn't hold the same anger than before, only a hint of something close to malice that spiked the blonde's curiosity.

"Perhaps you are more intelligent than you think Miss Swan"

Emma scowled at that, not sure if the other woman was pulling her leg or not. It didn't looked like it though so she shrugged, muttering a soft "ok" that made Regina.

"You are going to need to wait in Storybrooke for a few days until your car is repaired" She said after a few seconds, apparently she was also aware of what Graham had told Emma minutes before. "We don't have many hotels in Storybrooke but our dinner rents rooms, I suggest that you keep your distance with my son though while you are here"

"I will see what I can do" Emma replied. A part of her understood the woman's fear and approved the fact that even after the flaws Regina may have regarding her short temper she looked like a good mother –the boy's tale was still somewhat confusing though-, one that seemed to want to take care of the boy and she wasn't going to be the one to interfere on that. She had given the boy away for a reason after all. But the woman's attitude was something that also bothered her and so she growled a little when Regina's smirk widened for a second, her burgundy painted lips parting slightly.

"Goodbye Miss Swan"

"Good bye" Emma replied, realizing too late that the brunette had started to walk again without saying her where she could find the local dinner. She pondered walking behind her once again but shook her head, refusing to ask something to the insufferable woman.

Walking towards the other street's end she stuffed her hands on the pockets of her jacket, her pain on her neck making her remember again the wolf she had seen on the edge of town. Frowning she looked at her right where the first trees of the forest that surrounded the city were visible. Regina had practically told her that she was an idiot for thinking on the possibility of a roaming wolf being real but it had certainly looked like a wolf the animal that had made her crash…

Shaking her head she kept walking, starting to whisper curses under her breath when she found herself on an intersection. Damn woman…

* * *

Regina opened the door of her house, the silence that filled the place telling her that she was in fact alone. Henry was still at school so after a few seconds of dread she sighed and nodded to herself, taking of the glasses she had worn during the talk with Miss Swan as she did so.

She hated using them, a part of her still remembering the amount of time she had spent without them back when she hadn't even know what her condition was. Those times were long finished though and so she left them in the little table she had put back when Henry had started to be old enough to have his own keys. The sound of the glasses touching the wooden surface making her sigh and finally feel at ease once again. Thinking again on Emma Swan her lips curled at the thought of the woman; she was definitely an interesting person, one that hadn't seemed to try to avoid her or not confront her. A complete novelty, one that Regina inwardly thanked the younger woman for. But she was also stubborn and definitely infuriating. And the idea of a wolf… preposterous.

Or maybe not, she thought as she walked easily down the corridor, she had long ago memorized the amount of steps she needed to take and so she touched the door jamb of the kitchen once she arrived there, the cold surface of the counter soon under her palms. She wasn't going to over think anything, she decided, Henry was ok and that was what she wanted to think about. Emma Swan, she decided with a nod, was a problem she was going to get ridded of it soon.

And then, she added to herself, she wasn't going to need to listen to her voice anymore.


End file.
